SPRINGFIELD, NJ - The Springfield Democratic Party had a nice turnout at the Chisholm Community Center Sunday afternoon for their first Women’s Leadership Forum done in honor of Women’s History Month. Moderator Erica DuBois, a newly elected Springfield Township Committeewoman had the idea for the forum after marching with her daughter at the Women’s March the day after the Inauguration in January. She said, “Women have been reaching out since the March asking what can we do? I thought we would bring women together with women elected officials to see how we can affect change.”

The panel of six included mayors, a New Jersey Assemblywoman, Council President, Township Committeewoman and the Union County Clerk. The first speaker was Mayor Christine Dansereau of Roselle. She is the first woman Mayor of Roselle. Her personal story was compelling with a loving but financially difficult childhood. She urged the women in attendance to not wait for a knock on the door. She volunteered that “Women bring a different kind of voice. They are into building bridges and connecting people.”

Council President Sara Todisco of Garwood graduated from High School in 2006. A year after graduating she had a seat on Council. She has been elected twice and is running for her third term. She grew up thinking women were equal but now as a school teacher she wonders why the overwhelming number of teachers are women but the administrators are mostly men.

New Jersey Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter of Patterson is Director of Psychiatric Services at a hospital and has two teenage children but still found time to run for office. She was chosen to run on the Democrat line when the seat became open. She had never run for office but was chosen over eight men who also wanted to run. Her motto is “We can make transactions but we want to be transformational.”

Colleen Mahr is in her fourth term as Mayor of Fanwood. She is the second longest serving female mayor in New Jersey. She recited the following statistics,”There are 565 municipalities in New Jersey and seventy woman mayors. Of those seventy, only thirty five were directly elected at the polls which is terrible.” Some towns rotate mayors amongst council members. When Mahr was asked to run she was expecting her first child. Her first thought was to decline then she decided, “If I don’t do this I will always wonder if I could have done it.” She now has three boys. She offered this advice. “Be respectful, have ears, you don’t always have to talk. Be visible and you have to have really thick skin.”

Joanne Rajoppi the Union County Clerk is third generation Springfield but has lived in Union for the last thirty years. She said she didn’t know discrimination until she ran for office. Her first victory was Board of Education in Springfield at a time when the town was very divided. She next ran for Township Committee and won by the biggest plurality ever. But “...it hasn’t been all fun and games. Many men feel women were weak, malleable, manipulative and tokens. This is not a happy business sometimes, but we are strong and we are good negotiators.”

Questions were taken from the audience. The first question was "Is it easier or harder for a woman to get elected now since the last election?" Joanne Rajoppi answered and said, "It will be easier. There is a great reaction that will take place. Women are a beacon for having integrity.” A second question was about what issues will be important for the next election cycle. Mahr said, “The governor's race is significant. So is health care, but don’t lose sight of what is happening on the local level. How are we funding our public school? Are property taxes at a tipping point?"

As part of DuBois's summary was "This is about women supporting women and the men in this room could not have been more supportive. We have a diverse community and all voices are not heard. We want to be a voice for them." There are hopes this will become an annual event.

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - Tradition, dedication and commitment – those words describe what Governor Livingston head football coach Dan Guyton expects of his players, both on and off the field. On Friday, August 11, those values were on display as 27 GL football players volunteered at the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside for the fifth year in a row.

The undefeated New Providence 11U Gold team completed a perfect season by defeating the also previously undefeated Elmora Troopers 4 - 3 in the finals of the 2017 NPGL baseball season. The Pioneers knew coming into the game, they had to play the perfect game, and they did just that.

After a top of the first run by Elmora, the Pioneers struck back with 4 runs in the bottom of the ...

CHATHAM, NJ -The Chatham Township Committee announced its continuing efforts to raise awareness of suicide prevention with its 2nd Annual Chatham Township "Out of the Darkness Community Walk" on Saturday, Sept. 23 to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

The event will take place, rain or shine, at Cougar Field located at 320 Shunpike Road in ...

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - An resident whose wife was involved in a car crash while trying to negotiate the detour associated the Springfield Avenue Bridge reconstruction asked council members to make the detour signs more easily understood.

The request, which came near the end of the Tuesday, Aug. 15 Council meeting, was met with understanding by council, administrative ...

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - Twelve days. Nearly 100 miles hiked. Changes in elevation of up to 4000 feet a day. 50-pound packs on our back the entire time. And yet, we enjoyed every second of it. Crew number 630-R-4 has returned from Philmont Scout Ranch, Scouting paradise. It was a difficult and arduous experience, but it had the fun to match.

BRANCHBURG NJ - The Raritan Valley Community College Planetarium in Branchburg will be heating up with excitement in August, as the Planetarium—and the rest of the country—prepare for a total Solar Eclipse on August 21. It is the first time in 99 years that the U.S. is experiencing a coast-to-coast total Solar Eclipse. While the “Path of Totality” for complete viewing of ...

TAPinto Berkeley Heights is locally owned and operated. We are able to provide you with original, objective and always FREE local reporting of Berkeley Heights news and events thanks to our advertisers. We encourage you to patronize our advertisers and tell them you saw their ad on TAPinto Berkeley Heights:

In honor of National Talk Like a Pirate Day, learn about real pirates on the Atlantic Ocean & Caribbean Sea and how they influenced population shifts, colonization of the Americas and the slave trade from the 1400s to the 1800s. And find out how they talked, too!

The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. New Providence Memorial Library, 377 Elkwood Ave., New Providence, NJ. For ...

On Mon., July 31, 2017, Congressman Leonard Lance visited Union County College’s Cranford campus and toured the Veterans Center with Union County College's President Margaret M. McMenamin. Located in the Helen E. Chaney Student Services Center on the first floor of the Student Development Building, the Veterans Center is a new addition to the campus since the building opened in ...

SPRINGFIELD, NJ - St. James the Apostle Church in Springfield is creating a Rosary Garden in honor of the 100 year anniversary of the Blessed Mother’s appearances at Fatima. The garden will be blessed and a Living Rosary will be prayed on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.. This date corresponds to the Blessed Mother's fourth appearance at Fatima. All are invited.

CHATHAM, NJ -The Chatham Township Committee announced its continuing efforts to raise awareness of suicide prevention with its 2nd Annual Chatham Township "Out of the Darkness Community Walk" on Saturday, Sept. 23 to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

The event will take place, rain or shine, at Cougar Field located at 320 Shunpike Road in ...

The residents of Roselle are in for a rude awakening when the Democratic town council along with the BOE finally lowers the boom on the taxpayer’s wallets. Ground has already been broken for former Mayor Jamel Holley’s early learning and community center, the $50 million “Mind and Body Complex”. The proposed complex is the largest project that the UC ...

SUSAN BARBAGLIA, owner of Skin Deep Salon and Spa in New Providence, offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise as a leader in the beauty industry. With over thirty years experience in skin care, Susan can answer your most challenging beauty questions. Email your questions to advice@skindeepsalonspa.com.

Ah, the always tricky student resume. The part of college applications that make students question whether their innate interests are worthwhile. I get endless questions about not only how to design a student resume but more specifically what activities students should be sure are on there. It seems crazy that we’re willing to model what are meant to be ventures of ...

UNION COUNTY, NJ - College students and others who plan to be out of state are being encouraged by the County Clerk to apply now for a vote-by-mail ballot.

“Exercising the right to vote is always important, and in this election cycle New Jersey voters will decide on a new Governor for the first time in eight years,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi in a statement. “Make ...

If you’re like most people, you’ll admit to some fascination with how the Rich and Famous live. Despite their relative wealth, they’re very human in terms of their strengths and weaknesses – specifically how they spend money, how they invest and how they give it away. Here are two Rich and Famous people who typify some of the best and worst lifestyle characteristics: ...